INDENTIFICATION
"To the church (assembly) of God which is in Corinth, to those consecrated and purified and made holy in Christ Jesus, [who are] selected and called to be saints (God's people) together with all those who in any place call upon and give honor to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours" (1 Corinthians 1:2 AMP).
The first step to being able to live for Christ in a corrupt society is to answer His call to put our faith in, trust in, adherence to and reliance on Him as our God and Savior. We must recognize and accept God's selection of us to be one of His people; consecrating ourselves to his work of purification and transformation of our hearts (mind, will and emotions). We must choose to honor God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, calling only upon Him as our God and Master. We must be willing, without reservation, to identify ourselves with Him, in word and in deed; in the fullness of the Holy Spirit; in readiness to speak of our faith; in endurance while we suffer for our faith. We must yield ourselves daily to death (of self-interest) so that Christ may be formed in us (2 Corinthians 4:11). Not only must our brethren in the faith be able to identify us as a fellow saint, but we are charged to live with such conduct that society may know our identity as Christ-followers also. (See John 13:34-35 and Colossians 4:5-6). Think about it.
© S.M. Hudson, Hidden Treasure Ministries, December 2003. All rights reserved.
Categories: forgiveness
